In a scathing attack against the Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi for returning the anti-NEET Bill that was overwhelmingly passed by the state assembly, former Madras High Court Judge Justice Chandru has slammed RN Ravi for his action of sending back the Bill and asked whether he is the leader for four MLAs (BJP) and whether he is insulting the assembly that has 234 members. Highlighting that there is no legal course in the Governor's action, Chandru said that Ravi has abused his powers. 

On Thursday, the Governor's Office had issued a statement in which it has said that the Governor has returned the anti-NEET Bill to the assembly as it was against the interests of the students. While the state has majorly been opposing the national exam, the Governor's refusal for consent has put him under heat as the political leaders are lashing at him for acting against the interests of the state. The DMK government has been taking efforts to repeal the national exam from the state and has planned to admit the students in the medical studies based on their Class 12 marks. 

With regard to that, the assembly has passed the NEET exemption Bill in September 2021 and sent it to the Governor. For the past five months, he has been under demand to give his nod to the Bill and sent it to the President for further approval. However, he has returned the Bill back to the assembly and invited anger from various quarters. Besides political leaders, a section of people from the judiciary has also been voicing against the Governor for violating the constitution. 

Former Judge of the Madras High Court, Justice Chandru has asked, "Is the Tamil Nadu Governor the leader for four MLAs? Is he insulting the assembly that has 234 members?". Chandru has underlined that the Governor's refusal to forward the Bill to the President is a clear case of abuse of powers. He said, "The question of giving some advice to the state government will arise only in administrative procedure, not legislative procedure. The Governor can only forward the Bill as it relates to the Concurrent List. But this Governor had exercised his power, not on the grounds of constitutionality but in the interests of the beneficiaries. Such a decision can be taken only by the Assembly and not by the Governor." 

He further said that the decision from the Governor has disregarded the resolution of 230 MLAs who had supported the Bill, while four BJP MLAs had voted against it. Another retired Judge Justice Karpagavinayagam said that if the Governor could have taken the AK Rajan committee report into the consideration, he would have found no reason to return the Bill. If the government sends back the Bill for the second time, the Governor has no option other than consenting it and sending it to the President. 

Senior Lawyer and DMK MP P Wilson has said that the Governor's act of returning the Bill was in defiance of the constitutional powers granted to him. He said, "The Governor does not possess the power to examine the Bill or return the Bill. He can forward it to the President for assent. It is only the President who is authorized to examine the Bill and approve or reject it." After the press statement from the Governor's Office went viral, the DMK has reacted strongly to his act. In the Lok Sabha, the MPs of the DMK alliance had on Thursday urged the Union government to withdraw the Governor from his post for violating his constitutional powers.